San Martin High Schools

by Kelly Talbert

This is Bettina (photo left), the Rotarian who accompanied me to this public high school in San Martin.

Much to my surprise, I was asked to speak in front of a group of about 150 students! We were there at just the right time, as they were assembled to hear inspiring stories from students who are now out of school and making their way in the world, as well as sharing ideas.

I spoke a little about the beauty of free public education, and how important it is to make studies a priority in order to obtain the quality of life that we desire. I talked about my role at the University of Oregon, and mentioned that I'd met people at universities all over the area who are ready and willing to help them find their way.

This (right) is the vocational orientation class at a private high school in San Martin. Classes are small and the teacher of the course is also the director of the school.

She mentioned that most schools in Argentina don't offer a course as part of their normal curriculum, and that this class is considered an elective. However, they are talking about making it a set part of the curriculum for juniors and seniors.

The students are playing a game in which a career is written on a sheet of paper on each person´s back. Working in partnerships, and without naming the career specifically, one explains to the other the career on his or her back, and the partner must deduce which career it is.

This is a small town, and many students tend to stick close to home. Therefore, the careers they chose were traditional and reflected the careers in their town (veterinarian, lawyer, accountant, etc.) The idea of the class is to learn how they're influenced by environment and family, and how they can discover career paths they'd never thought of before.

Just after our exciting television appearance today in Formosa, I noticed this Rotary symbol in a lovely green area across the street. Of course, I had to get a picture!